22 Aug 2024
The captains of the Black Fins and Black Props have been named as the teams prepare to represent Aotearoa New Zealand at the Lifesaving World Championships (LWCs).
The biennial team event, which runs from 23 August to 8 September, will see the world’s best lifesavers race each other along the pristine Gold Coast coastline in various pool- and ocean-based events in an ultimate test of their water skills and ocean knowledge.
Leading the team of 12 Black Fins will be Cory Taylor, of Midway Surf Life Saving Club in Gisborne. Cory was the World Ironman Champion at the 2022 Lifesaving World Championships, as well as and board race champion. In 2023, he was unbeaten in the International Surf Rescue Challenge (ISRC) in Texas, the biggest international ocean and beach competition in the world outside of the Lifesaving World Championships. He is also a 10-time Nutri-Grain Ironman Series athlete and a five-time New Zealand Ironman champion.
It is the third time Taylor has captained the Black Fins, having led the team at the 2023 ISRC in Texas and the 2019 ISRC in South Africa.
Black Fins Campaign Lead Steve Kent says Taylor was selected as captain in recognition of both his athletic prowess and due to the high regard in which he’s held by his teammates.
“Cory is a truly great Black Fin. He has previous experience at both an international and world championship level, and has demonstrated time and time again a calm and strong leadership presence within the team. He speaks when it’s needed, and when he speaks it’s always worth listening to,” says Steve Kent.
“He’s an incredible athlete at an individual level, but he’s also a quintessential team player and works hard for the collective victory as much as for himself.”
Leading the eight-strong Black Props team will be co-captains Shane and Taylor Edwards. They already have an innate understanding of how to work in partnership as co-captains, given they are also married.
In addition, Black Prop Mark Edwards is Shane’s brother, while Hogan Shrimpton is Taylor’s brother.
Black Props Campaign Lead Jaron Mumby says that Taylor and Shane are somewhat regarded as the “Mum and Dad” of the team, and part of the “First Family” of IRB racing in New Zealand.
“I can’t think of any other sports team in New Zealand with a dynamic quite like this,” he says. “Taylor and Shane are so influential in the team’s structure and thoroughly deserve their respective roles as co-captains.”
The Black Props won the World Championships in 2018, but missed out on competing for the world titles in 2020 and 2022, both of which were cancelled due to Covid-19. It has been a six-year journey for the incumbent champions to have the opportunity to compete on the world stage once again.
“It has been a long road for our team to stay motivated and committed given the amount of time since they last had the opportunity to compete for the world championship,” says Jaron Mumby.
While four members of the Black Props are 2018 veterans, four of the team will be competing on the world stage for the first time. They will also have some stiff competition – Australia is the team to beat and has the home town advantage, while Great Britain and Japan are also strong contenders.
“Lots of learning and inspiration has been taken from the 2018 World Championships, but this is its own, fresh challenge. We have a big task ahead of us, but the challenge needs to be large enough to warrant the world title.”
The Junior Black Fins will name their Captain in the coming days.
Key dates:
For more information (including live streaming details), visit www.lwc2024.com.
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